kevin costner

Kevin Costner and Modern West April 10, 2012Ridgefield PlayhouseRidgefield, CT

On Tuesday, April 10, 2012, Kevin Costner and Modern West brought their tour to the intimate Ridgefield Playhouse, located in the beautiful Ridgefield, Connecticut. Costner and his band are set to release their third album and have embarked on a nationwide tour.

Modern West features Teddy Morgan on lead guitar, Larry Cobb on drums, Park Chisolm on guitar, and the impressive Bobby Yang on fiddle. Also appearing as a special guest on numerous songs this tour is Costner’s daughter, Lily Costner.

Thanks to Allshows.com, I was able to attend a pre-party at the Playhouse before the show which included a backstage meet and greet pass to meet Kevin Costner. I was able to speak to him for a few minutes and he seemed relieved that I asked him about his music rather than his acting career. We discussed the music chords to a few of his songs and he was extremely talkative to me.

In case anyone is wondering, “Superman 14” is played with a G major, A Minor, and a C Major. After the party and my time with Costner, we took our seats in the unbelievably intimate Ridgefield Playhouse. There is simply not a bad seat in the house.

The band came out to “Red River” and followed it up with “Long Hard Night”. Costner explained (as you can see in the video below) he wrote “Long Hot Night” about the night with a woman, which you realize, whatever is broken with her, is just not going to get fixed. This set the theme for the night, Costner takes his music seriously and set up each song with an explanation on why it was written.

Costner explained that “90 Miles an Hour” was a metaphor for how he wants to live. Especially since he thinks it must be a bad feeling for father not to know how to help his son. He made a few jokes about his father and his relationship. His stories really brought to life Modern West’s songs and lyrics. The explanations were meaningful, deep, and extremely creative.

The crowd, for the most part, was very respectful. There was a moment where a younger woman shouted out “My Mom loves you Kevin!” He laughed and responded with “wow, that’s the point I am in my life.” He was playful and interactive throughout the night. At no point did you see any sign of the arrogance one might expect from an Oscar Award Winning Actor. Instead, his humble approach and love for music made me admire the man even more.

Costner brought his daughter, Lily, out for three songs including one of his hits, “Let Me Be The One” (see video below) as well as new songs “Indian Summer” and “All the Women In The Hills”. Lily has a beautiful voice and an attractive appearance. Costner explained that she went to school in Connecticut and called her his “little rascal who was a joy to raise”. On “All the Women In The Hills”, Daddy let his daughter take the spotlight as the entire band stood behind her as she took lead vocals on a song about the women who raised the men who fought and died in the Civil War.

Costner explained that his next acting project is going to be a series on the History Channel entitled “Hatfield and McCoys” in which he plays Devil Hatfield. He states it relies a lot of the Civil War and the Appalachian feeling going into the next century. He also wrote a song for the series, entitled “How Deep The Water Runs” which he performed (see video below).

Costner told a story about 1969 when he was young and politics were “moving fast”. He said he saw people with blue glasses and tie die shirts. However, all he wanted to do was kiss Debbie Anderson at the county fair. He said his friend told him to buy her some jewelry so he got her a St. Christopher pin, thinking that would do the trick. In the crazy 1960’s he was lost and only wanted a kiss at the county fair. And that was the basis for writing his song “Where Do We Go From Here”.

The encore consisted of two songs, the first is the Band’s newest single “Angels Came Down”, which is about the last moment a soldier has before he dies on the battlefield. The final song is clearly the band’s most popular, “Superman 14”. As you can see in the video below, Costner explains it comes from a time where you a small child and think you can be or do anything. The fiddle, played by Bobby Eng, on the song is infectious and it was the perfect way to end an impressive night.

Costner made sure his Band got credit as he got them all together for a final bow. He then came back out with a bottle of champagne, which he poured a few glasses for the lucky ones up front. He showed his appreciation for the crowd and took a final bow.

I have always been a big fan of Kevin Costner. Tin Cup, Dances With Wolves, and The Untouchables have always been some of my favorite movies. When I heard his music I was very impressed. He has a country vibe mixed with a Paul Simon/Bruce Springsteen feel to it. He obviously has a great passion for the music and that really shined bright in his live show. I look forward to Costner’s next project, whether it be in music, acting, or whatever he decides to do next.